July Another Great Month For U.S. Beef

American beef exports again topped the $1 billion mark in July and posted the fifth-largest volume ever.  Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that was made possible by growth in several key markets.  Japan, he noted, was up 8%, China reported a 30% jump, and strong showings in other markets such as the Philippines as well as the Caribbean and Central America are all encouraging.  He said this growth comes in the face of some pretty significant headwinds.

“The U.S. Dollar continues to strengthen against some of our key currencies, specifically Japan and Korea.  And that's something to keep an eye on.  And while the international logistical situation appears to be improving, it's definitely not back to normal. We have some additional work to do there. But but at least it does look like it's improving a bit. So I think we got to be aware of these headwinds, but the outlook still looks pretty positive going forward on beef.”

July beef exports totaled over 126,500 metric tons, a 3% year over year increase.  Meanwhile, U.S. pork exports topped 208,000 metric tons in July, 6% lower than last year.  And July lamb muscle cuts reached 161 metric tons, up from 49 metric tons a year earlier.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com